The Auburn Observer

After Painter shares his experimental idea for Chick-fil-A sauce and grits, Justin breaks down Auburn football’s new transfer addition of Western Kentucky graduate edge rusher Marcus Bragg. They discuss this much-needed addition to the roster and salute some rotational heroes of the past. Then it’s a conversation with Bennett Durando of the Montgomery Advertiser, who returns to recap Auburn baseba...

As Painter wonders if the goatee is making a comeback in contemporary life, Justin takes the start of preview magazine season in college football to ask a question — is Auburn’s 2022 roster being undervalued, considering its returning star power, or are the major doubts in the passing game that big of a deal? The bulk of this episode is a discussion of Auburn’s nine All-SEC picks in the new Athlon...

After a brief discussion of airports, Justin and Painter dive into Auburn football’s latest transfer addition — former LSU wide receiver Koy Moore. The guys discuss what Moore could bring to the Tigers’ offense in Year 1, Bryan Harsin’s transfer policy in this pivotal offseason and the state of the roster as summer workouts get rolling on the Plains. Elsewhere in the episode, there’s talk of Aubur...

Painter is joined by Blake Lovell of Southeastern Fourteen. They talk about the easiest coaches to like and who is most annoying. Blake agrees to play a made-up game of “Fill in the Blank.” Later in the show, they discuss Alabama’s commitment to staying ahead, Eric Musselman joining the upper crust of good and obnoxious coaches, Georgia hiring Mike White from Florida and Florida being OK with that...

Justin and Painter open the show with a late (and lengthy) discussion of the war of words between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher over NIL and recruiting. They wonder what the reaction would be like if Auburn was the team drawing the attention of Alabama’s head man and look back on the discourse around the Cam Newton saga in 2010. The bulk of the episode centers on Auburn football’s newest transfer ad...

Justin and Painter open one of their longest episodes to date by roasting Mike Florio’s steak on Twitter and discussing the merits of K-Pop. Then it’s a switch over to the hardwood to break down what Auburn basketball might do next after Julian Phillips’ commitment to Tennessee. The football talk begins with a look at new Iowa State transfer safety Craig McDonald, followed by some appreciation for...

Inspired by a couple of recent hit movies, Justin and Painter spend this episode examining some alternate universes from recent Auburn football and basketball history. Topics include: What if Auburn decided to hire Kirby Smart instead of Gus Malzahn in 2013? What would have happened if LSU had won the “Six Kicks” game in 2016? How far would the Tigers have gone if they would’ve avoided those two l...

By popular demand, we’ve unlocked last week’s premium episode for all listeners. If you’re receiving this free podcast episode and would like to upgrade to a paid subscription that gives you access to all stories and future premium podcast episodes subscribe using the button below or clicking this link . Matt Brown of the excellent Extra Points newsletter joins Justin and Painter to talk about all...

Justin and Painter discuss Auburn basketball’s big-time signing of Morehead State transfer center Johni Broome. They break down his game on both sides of the floor, examine how he fits into the Tigers’ frontcourt and talk about what his arrival will mean for others up front. The guys then turn their attention to Julian Phillips, the second 5-star former LSU commitment who could be finding his way...

Painter opens the show with an important question on a topic close to his heart. Then, he and Justin discuss former LSU 5-star Julian Phillips’ upcoming official visit to the Plains. The guys talk about the evolution of Auburn’s frontcourt for the upcoming season, including the roles for Allen Flanigan and Jaylin Williams. (NOTE: This episode was recorded before recent visitor Brandon Huntley-Hatf...

After a brief discussion on Easter ham and the history of brunch, Justin and Painter focus on two big-name transfer big men that Auburn basketball has in its crosshairs — Morehead State’s Johni Broome and Tennessee’s Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. Then it’s a switch over to football, as Painter wants to know the answer to a very important question: Can the Tigers be successful in 2022 with a Tank Bigsb...

Justin and Painter discuss the value of sharing ice cream with people you have gotten into fights with recently. Then, more importantly, they talk about what they learned from Auburn’s 2022 A-Day Game and spring football as a whole. The guys break down the quarterback performances, led by offensive MVP Robbie Ashford. Then they transition to the underwhelming rushing numbers and the depth situatio...

Disclaimer: Walker Kessler announced he was entering the NBA Draft right after this podcast was originally recorded, so there’s an intro to the intro this week — Justin and Painter discuss the big man’s decision to go pro, then launch into the original recording. There will be some comments in the main portion that are quite out of date. Also in this episode, there’s a look back at the Final Four...

Justin and Painter take the halftime break of Auburn football’s spring practices to discuss what they’ve learned so far. They look at all the confirmed injury absences to the Tigers’ starring cast and what that means for newcomers and young players trying to break through in 2022. Then it’s a switch over to basketball, where Bruce Pearl is looking to reload his roster after the departure of Devan...

Justin and Painter break down Auburn’s 79-61 loss to Miami in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They discuss what all went wrong for the Tigers — some surprising, some not-so-surprising — and how it led to an early exit in March. In the second half of the episode, they look back at the big picture for the 2021-22 SEC champions and how they should be ultimately viewed in Auburn basketball hi...

Justin and Painter give their instant reactions to Auburn basketball’s No. 2 seed draw in the NCAA Tournament — the opening matchup against Jacksonville State, the potential second-round meeting with either USC or Miami and the rest of the Midwest regional. They also discuss the latest news around the SEC, including the firing of Will Wade at LSU, the surprise hiring of Florida’s Mike White at Geo...

Justin and Painter open the show by talking about the importance of getting it right on a big day. Then they discuss Auburn basketball’s 82-71 win over South Carolina that sealed an outright SEC regular season title, an undefeated home record and the first victory of the Neville Arena era. They look ahead to what should be a wild SEC Tournament in Tampa, preview the potential conference awards for...

Justin and Painter break down Auburn basketball’s 67-62 loss at Tennessee. They discuss what carried over for the Tigers in their third straight defeat away from home, what has to change in the near future and why the loss didn’t do much damage to the program’s biggest goals. Then it’s a look ahead to the final week of the regular season for Bruce Pearl’s team, starting with a road trip to Mississ...

Justin and Painter recap Auburn basketball’s close road loss at Florida. They discuss what went wrong on the final play, how the Tigers put themselves in that position and why Bruce Pearl’s postgame comments stick out. Then it’s a look ahead to the final two weeks of SEC play. They look at how this loss could impact bracket projections and Top 25 rankings — hint: not as much as you might think — a...

Justin and Painter discuss Auburn basketball’s 75-58 win over Texas A&M — one marked by Walker Kessler’s latest triple-double, Zep Jasper’s return to the court, a strong showing from the small forwards and another cold spell from 3-point range. They also talk about the Auburn connections to Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams. They discuss the latest...

Justin and Painter open the latest episode of the podcast with a discussion of what transpired over the weekend regarding Bryan Harsin and his uncertain status as Auburn football’s head coach. Then they move to Auburn basketball, where Bruce Pearl’s Tigers improved to 10-0 in SEC play with a last-second escape at rival Georgia. They breakdown what they learned on Saturday afternoon in Athens and w...

Justin and Painter break down what they learned from No. 1 Auburn basketball’s 17th consecutive victory — a rather comfortable 18-point win over a tough Oklahoma team. They discuss Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler’s big performances, along with another dominant stretch for the Tigers’ defense. Then they turn their attention toward Tuesday night, when an Alabama team fresh off an upset win over Bayl...

Justin and Painter recap Auburn basketball’s 80-71 win over Kentucky. They open by discussing students camping out overnight for the game, the unbridled confidence of a fan base on social media and the big-picture implications for a program that is now firmly in the driver’s seat for both the SEC title and a landmark No. 1 ranking. Then it’s a breakdown of the actual game — the Tigers’ team effort...

Justin and Painter recap Auburn’s fifth conference win. They discuss another road trip fan takeover. They also talk about Auburn battling back against an Ole Miss team shooting lights out in the first half and how defense eventually won the day. Then it’s a brief move over to football, where Auburn is still working in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail. Follow Justin ( @JFergusonAU )...

Justin and Painter break down Auburn basketball’s third straight conference win of 12 points or more — this time against Florida. They discuss K.D. Johnson’s return to form, Jaylin Williams’ big-time night and overly performative referees before looking ahead to Tuesday night’s showdown at Alabama. Then it’s a switch over to football, where Zach Calzada is now committed to play quarterback but the...